True Meaning of Gargoyle Tattoos

When talk about gargoyle tattoos, you must have seen the water spouts with faces decorating some of the architectural buildings. These are nothing but the ancient grotesque designs created by certain sculptors. These are also known as gargoyle sculptures. You can never say what can become a fashion statement in this world! These ancient monumental characters are now turned into gargoyle tattoos that are huge hits among the youths.

There is another reason why the young artists are turning to these ancient creatures. The gargoyles are said to outcast the evil spells on one’s life and bring good omen. The elaborate grotesque characters used to keep evil at bay and protect the occupants of the particular building. This belief has further made gargolye tattoo a favorite among people. The gargoyle tattoos are inked into the body many times as talismans to protect oneself from harm.

In ancient Egypt gargoyles were used for spouting out the water used for washing ceremonial vessels on the temple roofs. In Greek temples, the marble water spouts often took the shape of lion heads. The gargoyles that we have come to know and love adorned the medieval cathedrals of Europe. Nobody can say for sure what these fantastic carvings depicted, since no definitive historical records exist to enlighten us. They probably served, however, to incite the imagination into fits of storytelling, since this was a pre-literate age.

Not all gargoyles spout water. Some of these stone carvings are purely ornamental, and are more properly referred to as ‘chimera’. Chimera are mythical creatures dating back to a number of cultures, including Ancient Greece, Egypt, Persia and China and are creatures combining the features of two or more different animals.

Griffon tattoo designsOne of the most famous of the chimera is the Griffon, Griffin, or Gryphon (spelling depending upon culture of origin), the legendary figure with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle. Sometimes the griffin is depicted with an eagle’s talons, or a lion’s claws, and occasionally the griffon has elongated ears. Such creatures were often featured in heraldic crests, as the lion and the eagle were both considered to symbolize nobility.

Sometimes, these gargoyle tattoos combine two or more animals. In Mythology, they are called “chimera”. The most famous tattoo in this genre is of griffin or griffon as it is called. It combines the features of a lion and an eagle. This tattoo depicts the nobility on part of the beholder. Also, a human skull is sometimes one of the gargoyle tattoos. It also is said to protect oneself from premature death. These descriptions show us that the youths are increasingly wearing tattoo marks not just for a fashion statement. They also believe in their traditional values. Thus the age old creatures still continue to amuse us even in 21st century through gargoyle tattoos.